Kitano Tenmangu Shrine Plum Blossoms – Spring 2013

Kitano Tenmangu Shrine Plum Blossoms - Spring 2013 北野天満宮 梅花祭

Greetings From Kyoto

Kyoto photographer Kosuke Okuda and I teamed up to do an article for the Russian travel magazine Afisha Mir (Афиша-Мир). I just got a PDF of the article — hot off the server!

In the article I introduced the long history of Aritsugu which was founded in 1560. Aritsugu is one of the most famous makers of traditional Japanese knives and they are found in good kitchens all over Japan. We focused on the special eel bone cutting ‘honegiri’ knife that is used for the traditional Kyoto summer delicacy of ‘hamo’ pike eel. The knife is over 40 cm long, weighs more that 500 gm and costs more than $1,000 USD!

I wrote it, but I can’t read it!!

Kyoto photographer Kosuke Okuda and I teamed up to do an article for the Russian travel magazine Afisha Mir (Афиша-Мир). I just got a PDF of the article — hot off the server!

In the article I introduced the long history of Aritsugu which was founded in 1560. Aritsugu is one of the most famous makers of traditional Japanese knives and they are found in good kitchens all over Japan. We focused on the special eel bone cutting ‘honegiri’ knife that is used for the traditional Kyoto summer delicacy of ‘hamo’ pike eel. The knife is over 40 cm long, weighs more that 500 gm and costs more than $1,000 USD!

I wrote it, but I can’t read it!!

Kyoto photographer Kosuke Okuda and I teamed up to do an article for the Russian travel magazine Afisha Mir (Афиша-Мир). I just got a PDF of the article — hot off the server!

In the article I introduced the long history of Aritsugu which was founded in 1560. Aritsugu is one of the most famous makers of traditional Japanese knives and they are found in good kitchens all over Japan. We focused on the special eel bone cutting ‘honegiri’ knife that is used for the traditional Kyoto summer delicacy of ‘hamo’ pike eel. The knife is over 40 cm long, weighs more that 500 gm and costs more than $1,000 USD!

I wrote it, but I can’t read it!!

Kyoto photographer Kosuke Okuda and I teamed up to do an article for the Russian travel magazine Afisha Mir (Афиша-Мир). I just got a PDF of the article — hot off the server!

In the article I introduced the long history of Aritsugu which was founded in 1560. Aritsugu is one of the most famous makers of traditional Japanese knives and they are found in good kitchens all over Japan. We focused on the special eel bone cutting ‘honegiri’ knife that is used for the traditional Kyoto summer delicacy of ‘hamo’ pike eel. The knife is over 40 cm long, weighs more that 500 gm and costs more than $1,000 USD!

I wrote it, but I can’t read it!!

Japanese love sakura (cherry) blossoms, which I fine, but I think I prefer the ume (plum) blossoms. Ume bloom in late winter and signal the coming of spring. If you are fortunate, you can view the plum blossoms in snow. Snow doesn’t accumulate so often in Kyoto but I have seen this several times. One thing I will never forget is an old plum tree at Kurodani Temple with deep red blossoms on a beautiful sunny morning after a heavy snow with a bee buzzing from blossom to blossom.

Today, I went out in search of ume blossoms to probably Kyoto’s most famous place for plum blossom viewing, Kitano Shrine. Called Kitano Tenmangu in Japanese. Normally the plums should be in bloom now but this winter has been quite cold and only a few of the shrines trees were in bloom. As I walked around the shrine, I recalled visiting this place about the same time of year a few months after I arrived in Japan.

Kitano Shrine has a plum grove with hundreds of trees that is quite a thing to experience. An entrance fee is required but it is worth every yen. Inside there is also a pavilion that serves salted plum tea and sugar frosted rice crackers.

Kitano Tenmangu Shrine Plum Blossoms - Spring 2013 北野天満宮 梅花祭
Worshipers waiting to pray. On the left is a large plum tree, on the right is a pine. Unfortunately this plum tree was not yet in bloom.
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine Plum Blossoms - Spring 2013 北野天満宮 梅花祭
Salted Plum Tea and Sweets

Kitano Tenmangu Shrine Plum Blossoms - Spring 2013 北野天満宮 梅花祭

Kitano Tenmangu Shrine Plum Blossoms - Spring 2013 北野天満宮 梅花祭
The plum grove with most trees far from blooming.
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine Plum Blossoms - Spring 2013 北野天満宮 梅花祭
The plum grove.
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine Plum Blossoms - Spring 2013 北野天満宮 梅花祭
Another part of the garden with bridge and stream.
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine Plum Blossoms - Spring 2013
The stone gate to the shrine.
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine Plum Blossoms - Spring 2013 北野天満宮 梅花祭
Huge stone lantern.
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine Plum Blossoms - Spring 2013 北野天満宮 梅花祭
Huge stone lantern — with me for scale!
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine Plum Blossoms - Spring 2013 北野天満宮 梅花祭
Tea and Sweets Pavilion
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine Plum Blossoms - Spring 2013 北野天満宮 梅花祭
Salted Plum Tea
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine Plum Blossoms - Spring 2013 北野天満宮 梅花祭
Salted Plum Tea and Sweets
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine Plum Blossoms - Spring 2013 北野天満宮 梅花祭
Tea and Sweets Pavilion

Kitano Tenmangu Shrine Plum Blossoms - Spring 2013 北野天満宮 梅花祭 Kitano Tenmangu Shrine Plum Blossoms - Spring 2013 北野天満宮 梅花祭